1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a method of depositing target particles, detached from a target by plasma discharge of inert gas, on a metal object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Metal materials are utilized in a variety of applications including interior and exterior materials for electronic products and vehicles. Metal materials are often used as exterior materials due to the beautiful appearance and luxuriousness thereof. In general, processed metal materials are used after post-treatment such as coating, plating or anodizing because without such post-treatment they may be unsuitable for use, with respect to their outer appearance, due to the surface roughness formed during mechanical processing.
Coating includes a variety of types and methods classified depending on the type of paints used. Typical synthetic resin paints have the advantages of improving the evenness of metal materials and rendering various colors, but have a the disadvantage of decreasing metallic texture.
Electroplating is a generally-used plating method. Plating with noble metals such as gold or silver or chromium, having superior corrosion resistance may be generally used as plating for ornamental purposes. Chromium plating has a high strength and is highly resistant to corrosion, and is thus used for the outer surfaces of vehicles and electronic products and has the advantages of considerably reducing the roughness of metal materials due to having a thickness of several tens of micrometers, and of having superior scratch resistance, but has the disadvantages of having a high risk of defect generation and environmental pollution.
Anodizing is a post-treatment method of forming an oxide thin film according to base materials and has the advantages of improving the hardness and corrosion resistance of the base materials and rendering a variety of colors according to dyes, but has the disadvantages of limited base materials, deteriorated gloss of anodized surfaces and an inferior appearance, as compared to plating.